


Strawhat Bouquet I

by printfogey



Category: One Piece
Genre: Ficlet Collection, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-26
Updated: 2012-04-26
Packaged: 2017-11-04 08:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/391857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/printfogey/pseuds/printfogey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five ficlets focusing on different Strawhats: Usopp, Zoro, Franky, Chopper, and Robin. Relief, a secret moment, introductions, warmth, and fortresses. No pairings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Thought of Giving Up (Usopp)

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes for the whole collection: These ficlets have been written at various times and for different purposes, sometimes following a prompt and sometimes just going by a vague idea. Suggestions for improvement and other feedback very welcome.
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters and situations of One Piece are owned by their creator, Eiichiro Oda. They are used here without permission for entertainment purposes only. These ficlets are not to be used for profit and should not be reposted elsewhere without the writer's consent.
> 
> Notes for the first story: This is one of only two true drabbles of 100 words that I've written for One Piece: the format is usually too tough for me for some reason. Set at Enies Lobby, chapter 419.

Usopp had never liked the thought of dying, not one tiny bit.

In that one moment, standing there on the roof after having shot Robin’s keys to Franky, cape flying, not fully himself yet feeling more alive than ever, his blood was singing in triumph and he felt astonishingly far from despair despite the danger. For once it didn’t seem so hard, then, to keep fighting, keep struggling, for the others and for himself…

And yet there had been a part of him deep within mumbling in quiet relief, mumbling something like, _Now I can die_.

Stop worrying.  
So simple.


	2. Now Or Never (Zoro)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ficlet from Zoro's POV at Skypiea. I remember needing a break from angst when I wrote it: the manga totally hints this happened, anyway.

The coast was finally clear.

The swordsman glanced around his surroundings for one last time. Yep, still no other ships on the horizon, nor any creatures emerging from the sea. The anchor was securely attached. There were still no people visible on shore besides his crewmates. As for those, the ones on the shore were all quite busy with running around being silly or exploring lazily or fawning over navigators right now. And the last one had finally stopped chatting with him and was now strolling gently toward the shore as well. 

He frowned as he looked down at Nico Robin’s departing figure. She’d done all right so far, in fact proven herself pretty damn useful, but he still wasn’t prepared to trust her as far as he could throw her. The thing she’d just said about never expecting an adventure stuck in his mind, though. It had seemed oddly honest. But that was no reason to let his guard down.

All the same, no-one was looking at him, and so Zoro was finally free to do what he’d longed to do for a good while now, which was to jump down into that milky cloud-sea and feel its lovely bouncy softness all around him. To dive down and touch the bottom, to roll over, roll around in it; to stretch out so very briefly in that one permissible childish moment, silly but wonderful. 

And to let out unguarded giggles of glee where nobody was close enough to hear him.


	3. Taking Second Chances (Franky)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally written for the topic "Introductions" at the challenge community onepieceyaoi100, though it's a genfic. Set on the Sea Train during its ride to Enies Lobby.

There’d been no warning at all, just a loud explosion and then a gaping hole in the wall as the Strawhats had literally crashed their way into Franky’s life. And maybe he should have taken that as a telling sign and a warning to be more cautious for once; but he’d been flush with the triumph of this unexpected great windfall the guys had brought home – _finally, all that money!_ – and this guy seemed pretty weak anyway and who cared what pirates thought? Wasn’t like they’d gotten it legally in the first place.

Iceburg said pirates were clients like everybody else, but Iceburg took money from the freaking _government_ , so why listen to him? No, pirates were just scum, pure and simple.

So he’d screwed that first introduction up pretty royally and had helped mess up their team rather badly, as he’d learned later on when he’d started to change his mind about these weird people. But stuff happened, and now he was just a few meters away from the only one of them he’d heard about long before. A tall figure in a leather dress, with long black hair and almond eyes in an anguished face. Bounty picture plus twenty years.

Iceburg had introduced her into his mind as a woman of dark menace, a dangerous demon who cared only for herself and would never hesitate to sacrifice others for her own purposes. He’d carried that impression for five years until it was upended completely only an hour or so ago into its complete opposite. Now the Puffing Tom was shaking and chuffing around them toward its destination. Seemed like Fate was bent on giving him second chances with these guys and maybe it was time he took the bloody hint.

_Maybe if she can do it, I can._

A plan took shape in his mind and he grinned slyly, cracking his knuckles. This time, he'd help them get less split up instead of moreso. He could smack a few walls down himself, after all.


	4. Inner Hearth (Chopper)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another genfic originally written for onepieceyaoi100, this time for the topic "Warmth". It's set any time after Chopper joins and before Water 7.

The night is clear and crisp, stars glittering with sharp brightness over Going Merry. Chopper’s smiling as he takes over guard duty from the shivering Sanji, whose teeth are chattering as he slowly climbs down, hands in mittens. There's frost on the main mast, and on the railing.

He really likes seeing all the wildly different climates of the Grand Line, how they shift on the open sea, and the more stable systems on each island. Hot summer island weather tires him out, but on the whole he loves feeling and the variety, seeing the sky turns shades of colour he never knew, smelling other kinds of air.

Yet these cold snaps are nice, too. Not just because they're comfortable and familiar - but also because they make him feel more useful and needed to the rest of the crew. For instance when it comes to being watch on a night like this - unlike the others, he has no trouble with it, and so volunteers for a longer shift than usual.

He remembers how, in very cold weather, the herd used to huddle together, sharing their body heat. But he was always left on the outside, wondering what it might be like, all surrounded by others' warmth like that. 

Luckily it rarely turned _that_ cold. Reindeer are built to handle wintry weather, and he did. 

The houses of the humans huddled together as well, the long coils of smoke from their chimneys mingling in the pale blue winter sky. He didn't need the heat from those fires, yet he was still drawn to them, fascinated. But those houses, like the herd, didn't admit outsiders, forming a wall against them.

He didn't fully understand until he found a welcoming fire of his own, the one in the small fireplace in Doctor's cave. 

Chopper doesn't really need the blanket in the crow's nest, either. Nor the pot of hot tea and the handful of cookies that Sanji brings him, climbing up just once more before going to bed. But they make his heart feel warm.


	5. Building Blocks (Robin)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't quite sure at first which Robin ficlet to pick for this collection (turns out I've written at least four more that might fit; maybe I've gotten into a rut), but in the end I went with this one. Takes place around manga chapter 389, start of volume 41.

Perhaps she – the thought comes to her very quickly, like a bird riding swift sea winds on a bright but cold morning – perhaps she has in some ways become not too unlike her enemy.

The tower of stone where she is standing in shackles is very strong, thick and well-guarded, in order to both keep criminals from escaping and to prevent break-outs from the outside. But then again, governments also build similar houses for their own leaders, strong and thick enough to protect their most valuable men from enemies. Perhaps the leaders within may feel like prisoners themselves at times, despite all their power.

She has kept herself apart always for survival, the lowest stones around her inner self erected long ago now, but fresher ones added with the years. Eventually there came a day when she did not need to place new stones above the old ones but got by as she were, the structure firmly in place, solid and secure. She found herself a new shelter to hide under, an unusually intriguing – and amusing – little band. Adaptive when she had to be, she realised that to fit in with them she needed to relax her guard slightly; to open up some windows, maybe even knock a rampart or two down for good. But the main walls still held well. – Or so she had thought, not realising her crewmates had ways to sneak through even so.

She has heard some of the explosions from here, and deduced more. They can’t win, but they have surely made their mark on this place already, felling many soldiers, blasting through walls. Now – now, there is Luffy on the roof on the other side of the abyss, shouting her name, and she doubts the rest of them will be long in coming. Her legs are wobbling: inside her, cracks are spreading, stones are shaking. 

It is quite cruel of them. She is going to die no matter what. There’s no need to insist on breaking her up and tearing her down before the end.


End file.
